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Papa has been sick and is unable to work for the railroad; Mama has been fired from her job. They have enough for the June note (mortgage) on the land with only a couple of dollars left, though they will have to scrimp on food. Papa plans to sell the cow and calves and maybe the old sow to pay the July and August notes, and the cotton should pay for the September note. Later in the chapter, the bank has calls in the note on the land, even though they have four more years left to pay.